A photo can enhance a thousand words
A picture is worth a thousand words. I often wonder how valid that statement really is. But there’s no denying that the proper use of pictures, especially photos, can enhance your writing.
Whether you’re writing a blog post, an article, a report, or a piece of marketing copy, including a photo or two can definitely add something to your work. A well-chosen photo can draw people in, break up long blocks of texts, or help make a point.
For people (like me) who aren’t very visually oriented, choosing the right photo or photos to go along with a particular piece of writing can be a challenge. In the end, though, that search can be worthwhile.
Here is some advice on how to use photos, and where to get them.
Keep it relevant
Using a photo with your writing should add something to your words. And a photo can only do that if it’s relevant to what you’re writing about.
Match the photos to your subject matter. Including a shot of a bunch of kittens or a stand of trees may seem like a good idea. But unless you’re writing about young animals or the outdoors (or making an allusion to them in your work), then those kinds of photos will stand out. And not in the way you want them to.
Remeber what I just said about allusions? If you do include a photo to illustrate an allusion, make sure that that the photo is next to the paragraph containing that allusion. Otherwise, the effect of the photo will be lost.
Don’t overdo it
If you’ve been using the Web for more than a few years, you might recall personal home pages circa 1996. Everyone thought they were graphic designers, but failed to realize that good graphic design doesn’t mean putting images everywhere. It’s the judicious and graceful use of photos that has the potential to enhance your words.
How many photos you use will depend upon your taste and the length of what you’re writing. Look at this blog post, for example. I only used two in it. And I’m not sure that I really needed the second one. If possible, keep it down to one photo per page, or one photo every two pages.
And remember to keep the photos small. The goal is to enhance your words, not overwhelm them. Again, the size of the photo will depend on your subject matter and how many elements are you the photos that you choose. In a blog post, for example, I’ve had the best results with photos that are 150 x 150 or 120 x 120.
I am a camera
Once upon a time (and I remember that time quite well) photography was something of an arduous process. You had to have a camera and had to buy the right film. Once you took your shots, you had to develop them yourself or get them developed at a photo shop. It was a lot of work, and quite a bit of money.
Digital cameras have really brought the barriers to entry down. Even a decent digital camera can take good photos. And you don’t have to worry about getting your pictures developed — all you need to do is download them to a computer. On top of that, there’s a lot of software available that lets you manipulate digital photos in any number of ways.
About 18 months ago, my business partner and I needed some photos for our company’s Web site. As luck would have it, Aaron had recently bought a very nice digital camera. So, we walked around downtown Toronto one chilly Saturday afternoon and got some very nice shots.
Keep in mind, though, that just because you have a digital camera doesn’t mean you’ll be able to take good photos. Photography, like any other skill, takes practice. If you’re willing to put in the time, you should improve and so should your photos.
Taking stock
On the other hand, maybe you’re resigned to the fact that you’re not going to be much of a photographer. Or maybe you just can’t take the kinds of photos that you want or need. That’s where a good stock photo service comes in.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find the volume and quality of the work that photographers — both pro and amateur — have made available on the Web. Some of it’s free, and some you have to pay for. But even the for-pay photos aren’t all that expensive. On top of that, you don’t have to pay royalties on the photos. You can use them as many times as you want.
My favourite free stock photo sites are StockXchange, StockVault, MorgueFile, and the photos licensed under Creative Commons on Flickr.
As for pay stock photo sites, I usually recommend Dreamstime, StockXpert, and iStockphoto. Photos only cost a dollar or two, and there are literally hundreds of thousands from which to choose. What I find interesting (and sometimes worth a chuckle) is that all three sites carry many of the same photos, but sometimes those photos are cheaper on one site than on the other two!
In the end, though, where your photos come from isn’t as important as how you use them. A carefully chosen and placed photo can enhance something that you’re writing. Nowadays, it’s easier and cheaper to do that.
Do you use photos with your writing? If so, feel free to leave a comment and share your experiences.
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